The Drawing
by MissMandS
Summary: It's unfinished but he can see it's meant to take up the whole page. The outline of a couple stares at each other. The man stares at the woman with affection, his lips turned up in a small smile. The woman's face is softer as she stares back at the man in wonder. Kili traces his fingers over the outline of the man, marveling at so much detail in a simple picture.


I originally went to make this a Bilbo/Ori story then changed my mind because I love Kilbo and there's not enough stories out there for them. This turned into a major feels fest for me...

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my character of Sophia

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Kili doesn't mean to stumble upon the drawing. It's an accident. He's walking back towards the camp after relieving himself, rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he trips over the corner of a bedroll. He curses softly, putting his arms out to brace his fall. He lands with a soft thud, shaking his head as he sits up. It's as he's brushing off his tunic that he notices the journal before him. It's not his and uncle would have a fit if he knew. But curiosity gets the better of him as he lifts it, opening it carefully. Most of the pages are blank save for some quickly drawn sketches Kili glances over. But none of them catch his eye like the drawing. It's unfinished but he can see it's meant to take up the whole page. The outline of a couple stares at each other. The man stares at the woman with affection, his lips turned up in a small smile. The woman's face is softer as she stares back at the man in wonder. Kili traces his fingers over the outline of the man, marveling at so much detail in a simple picture. He doesn't notice the nearly silent footsteps until Bilbo's sitting down next to him; his gaze unreadable.

"I see you've found my beautiful, Sophia," Bilbo whispers, running his fingers gently over the woman's face. Kili flushes bright red, shoving the journal back at him. "I'm sure you must have questions."

"I'm sorry Mister Boggins," Kili moves to stand up, his heart pounding in his chest. "I should have left it alone!" Kili curses himself, thinking of the tongue lashing he'll surely get from his uncle and brother. He should be getting one from Bilbo himself! But the hobbit doesn't scold him or even move to look up. He simply sits, tracing the outline of the woman's face. "Mister Boggins, are you all right?" Bilbo chuckles warmly, nodding slightly.

"It's _Baggins_," Bilbo corrects him with a small eye roll. "And yes, I'm all right Kili." Kili knows that he's lying. He can see it in the way the hobbit's fingers tighten as he holds the journal, his eyes growing misty. Kili clears his throat, sitting down next to the hobbit slowly. Bilbo doesn't glance up from the journal, his eyes still focused on the woman, Sophia.

"You called her yours," Kili says awkwardly, stiffening as Bilbo turns his gaze on him. "I thought you were a bachelor."

"Others were only interested in courting me because of my title or they wanted Bag End," Bilbo shrugs easily though his eyes are growing wetter with the threat of tears. "Then I met Sophia."

"Where was she?" Kili scoots closer so their legs touch. He pretends not to notice the blush on Bilbo's cheeks as their legs brush, focusing on the hobbit's curly head.

"Much like I met you," Bilbo smiles at the dark haired archer. "I opened the door and she stood there before me, a serious look on her face. Then she introduced herself as one of the new bakers in the Shire; gave me a curtsy and offered me a plate of blueberry muffins. I thought her face was going to split apart from her smile," Bilbo's cheeks are still stained red, fading slowly as he looks down at his feet. "I thought at first she was just interested in getting on my good side. So many had come, just to try and get a shot at Bag End. But she persisted even at my attempts to brush her off. " Bilbo pauses, staring at Kili with his head cocked. "Yes, much like you, Kili." Kili swallows hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, his throat dry as he forces himself to speak.

"What made you realize, she wasn't interested in just titles?" Kili asks, his voice cracking. He flushes red, looking down at his hands. Bilbo doesn't mock him, sliding one of his hands over to slip his fingers through Kili's. Kili swallows back a choked gasp at the feeling of how soft; delicate Bilbo's hands are in his calloused, rough ones.

"She kept coming back day after day, always with a new treat. And she would sit with me to talk—well she did the talking," Bilbo pauses, biting his lower lip. "Each time she came into my house, she never stared at things. Never did her eyes glint like she found some new treasure—they only did that once. And that was the day she met me."

"Did you ever court?" Kili bites his lower lip, squeezing Bilbo's hand tighter as he hopes the answer is no.

"We didn't exactly court, you see," Bilbo grimaces and Kili's immediately hit with guilt as he loosens his grip. "There came a time when I finally asked her, why she kept coming back when I barely spoke, only enough to be polite. Why she kept bringing me treats and never touching one of them? Better yet, why would she want someone like me?" Kili squeezes Bilbo's hand again, gentler this time. "Sophia told me she didn't care about titles; inheritance. Only that she was interested in me. When I argued with her, saying I was unsociable, odd. She asked me what if she didn't mind," Bilbo sighs and in the moonlight, Kili sees the first tears slip down his cheeks. "There was a hobbit lass before her that tried courting me. When I turned her down, she said I was impossible to love; nobody could have me—want me. And here was someone who did but all I could do was turn her away."

"Bilbo," Kili whispers softly, wincing as the hobbit takes a shaky breath. Bilbo sighs, nodding.

"She kept coming back to see me," Bilbo smiles without mirth. "I wondered why, perhaps she hoped I would change my mind, realize she was genuine. She still visited me. But she talked less and less; her treats lost their specialness. Sophia came one day without treats; without her usual smile. She told me that she was travelling to Bree to look at the possibilities of opening up a shop there. I told her good luck and gave her a pat on the shoulder with some poppy seed cakes," Bilbo's eyes go glassy as he looks down at his feet. "Rangers found her body a few weeks later. Others spoke ill of her; saying it wasn't right for a hobbit to travel that far. She was strange as me, they said. I found out a few weeks after her death, the only one Sophia ever spoke to was me—when she delivered me treats." Bilbo sighs, tears streaming freely down his cheeks now. "She really didn't mind."

"And you drew this then?" Kili nods towards the drawing. Bilbo nods, tracing his fingers over the outlines of the couple.

"I can't bring myself to finish it," He confesses. Kili watches silently as he reaches towards his neck, lifting a small, gold, heart shaped crest. It's simple with two creamy white pearls; one resting in the center and the other dipping just below the bottom of the heart. "She left me her necklace with a note asking me to see myself through her eyes," Bilbo nods towards the woman's gaze of wonder and soft affection. "I can't finish it though," He grabs hold of the heart, clenching it tightly. "I can only see myself as this unsociable, strange—bitter hobbit who assumed things." Kili presses his nose to Bilbo's cheek, slipping his hand over Bilbo's.

"What if I don't mind?" Kili whispers, his warm breath on Bilbo's hairless cheek. Bilbo shudders; his grip loosening on the locket as he slips his fingers through Kili's.

"I think I don't mind either." Bilbo whispers, staring at Kili in wonder. Kili stares down at Bilbo with a small smile on his lips, his face full of affection.


End file.
